Monday, July 11, 2011

Dartmouth Shanty Festival Weekend

In fine South Hams summer weather, The Tavy Tars helped launch Dartmouth’s first ‘Sea Shanty Festival Weekend’ on Sunday July 10. The Tars first set was in the delightful Victorian bandstand in the Royal Avenue Gardens. But then they got afloat, with two trips serenading passengers on the ‘Dart Explorer’ as she made her way up to Dittisham and back down through the busy harbour as far as Dartmouth Castle. Some of the nautical audience had come down from Bristol on a special train to Kingswear, hauled by the splendid steam loco ‘Tornado’. Besides the singing, The Tars enjoyed seeing some familiar faces (and the odd bit of banter!) among the other shanty crews taking part - Falmouth Shout, Flash Jack and Mariners Away. With its superb harbourside setting, lively crowds and friendly hosts, Dartmouth’s first shanty weekend was a great success.

A Bit about the Tavy Tars

The Tars celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2013. Formed originally to sing shanties at the launch of a new pilot gig on the river Tamar, the pleasure of performing together has kept us going ever since.The Tars all live on the Bere Peninsula in West Devon, where there is a fine tradition of amateur music making. Apart from the music, we are bound together by a shared interest in rowing, sailing and all things nautical. Our music reflects that shared interest - we perform a mixture of traditional sea shanties and other 'songs of the sea', blending male voice harmonies with instrumental support from guitar, concertina and banjo.As our reputation has grown, we have been invited to perform at some very different events, across the South West and beyond. Recent favourites have included surprising the passengers on the 'Scillonian III' ferry between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, and the Christmas shoppers at the John Lewis store on Oxford Street. Whatever next?

Contact and Bookings

To contact us about anything or discuss a possible booking, please email us at: tavytars@gmail.com